Asia Pacific: The Undercurrent Of Torture

News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of
Amnesty International

18 October 2000 ASA 01/002/2000
195/00

Amnesty International's global Campaign Against
Torture was launched today, beginning with a press
conference in Tokyo, Japan. The organization is calling for
worldwide action towards the abolition of torture.

Torture and ill-treatment persists as an undercurrent across
the Asia Pacific region -- from India and Pakistan to the
Philippines, China and Japan. Human rights violators
include democratic, as well as repressive governments, the
rich and the less developed.

"Torture is prevalent
throughout the Asia Pacific. Governments in the region have
it in their power to change this and rid the region of this
gross act of inhumanity," Amnesty International said.

Torture in police custody is common throughout the region --
inflicted on both criminal suspects and political
dissidents. People have died as a result of torture in
several Asia Pacific countries including India, Pakistan,
Myanmar and China.

Many of the region's governments
have failed to take the most basic steps to prevent torture
or investigate complaints. Corruption, official acquiescence
and a lack of adequate human rights training for
law-enforcement officials, means that in many countries
torture has become routine practice.

Torture,
including beating, electric shocks, hanging by the arms,
shackling in painful positions, and sleep and food
deprivation, is used throughout China.

It is used
extensively against criminal suspects and political
dissidents. The victims include members of ethnic
minorities, such as Tibetans and Uighurs, and followers of
religious or spiritual movements.

In many
Asia-Pacific countries there is a clear link between
discrimination and torture - those at most risk are the
poorest and most marginalised groups in society. They may be
ethnic minority groups who face discrimination in society at
large, drug users and petty criminals, street children and
women.

Women in South Asia are particularly
vulnerable to torture by private individuals. Governments
continue to fail to investigate patterns of torture
including rape in custody, acid attacks and dowry-related
murders.

In areas of conflict, including in Sri
Lanka, India and Solomon Islands, whole populations are
often at risk of torture from both state agents and armed
opposition groups.

A climate of impunity runs across
the region and affects almost all countries. From South Asia
across to the Pacific, torturers act without fear of
prosecution. Impunity is fuelled by official complacence,
lack of judicial independence and shortcomings in criminal
justice systems.

Police in Cambodia are known to be
complicit in "mob justice". In 1999 there were at least 19
cases in which criminal suspects were killed by angry
bystanders often with police standing by and watching.

There are persistent reports of ill-treatment in Japanese
prisons, detention centres, immigration detention centres
and police custody. Criminal suspects and migrant workers
risk beatings and intimidation during questioning by police
and immigration officials.

Many governments have not
signed up to the UN Convention against Torture, and those
who have often fail to implement its provisions.

During its year-long campaign, Amnesty International will be
mobilising its membership in 15 Asia-Pacific countries, and
working together with other organizations to change public
and official attitudes towards torture. It will be calling
on the region's governments to take real steps to prevent
torture, and to address impunity and
discrimination.

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